My Thanksgiving
by squeakyfingers
Summary: Complete. Ch. 5 up now. Catherine returns from a leave-of-absence, apprehensive about facing a certain CSI. [G/C]
1. A Lot of Things Have Happened

My Thanksgiving  
by: Allison  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, and I have no money anyway so who would   
want to sue?  
  
Rating: PG to PG-13 for adult language and mature topics  
Summary: Catherine returns to CSI after a leave-of-absence, only to find her relationship   
with Grissom strained….what happened?  
  
A/N: This one's for Ann, in honor of Don Henley and Grissom's hat.  
  
~ ~ ~  
A lot of things have happened   
Since the last time we spoke   
Some of them are funny   
Some of 'em ain't no joke   
And I trust you will forgive me   
If I lay it on the line   
I always thought you were a friend of mine  
~ ~ ~  
  
The halls were quieter than she remembered. Glancing around, she half expected   
to hear Greg's punk music roaring loudly from the lab. But there was nothing. Not even a   
whisper. Only the sound of her own footsteps, echoing throughout the empty corridor.   
The door to Grissoms' office stood ajar, and she took in a breath, nervous about   
speaking to him on her first day back. They had had so little to speak about over the past   
few months. But, peeking her head through the doorway, she saw no one there.  
  
~Where could he be? And where was everyone else?~ She wondered, continuing on her   
way.  
  
~They must all be in the locker room.~ That was it. It was the only logical explanation   
she could come up with. Upon entering, she was surprised to find only Sara, throwing her   
clothes back into her locker in preparation to leave.  
  
"Oh hey Catherine. Welcome back."  
  
"Hey."  
  
"You looking for someone in particular?"  
  
"No, not really. Finding anyone right now would please me at this point."   
  
"We've been pulling doubles all week. I'll bet everybody's fighting over who gets the   
couch in the breakroom…you sure did pick a fine night to come back." Sara told her, the   
sarcasm evident in the younger CSI's voice; a new fear adding itself to the already   
forming pit in Catherine's stomach.  
  
"Guess so." A distant reply was all she designated the question with, to caught up in her   
own thoughts to really hear what Sara was saying.  
  
" Not like you will have to worry…I am sure you'll just be on desk duty."  
  
Checking herself in the mirror, she was depressed by the image that reflected back   
at her. Harsh, dark bags that no amount of make up could hide framed dull, tired, sunken   
eyes, which held a fresh new sense of pain and inner turmoil.  
  
"You ready Catherine?" jumping slightly, the sharp tone of Sara's voice brought   
Catherine out of her reverie.  
  
" Yea, let's go. Shift's about to start."  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *  
  
"I think they're coming…is everybody ready?" asked Greg, standing watch near   
the doorway.  
  
"Come on, places…places everyone!" Soon the room was quiet, the lights were   
dimmed, and all were settled waiting in anticipation for the pair to enter.   
  
From his seat in the corner Grissom saw her silhouette, outside the door. He knew   
in a moment he would have to face her. The thought very nearly made him queasy. How   
would she react to seeing him here, after such a long period of silence between them?  
  
"SURPRISE!"  
  
There was a scowl on her face, Grissom noted. A scowl that transformed into a   
jubilant smile as she entered the room, surrounded by her co-workers.  
  
~You're a ghost Grissom. Just disappear, they won't even notice~  
  
Considering the idea he rose slowly from his chair. But seeing her happiness,   
captivated him in such a way that he could not move from the spot where he stood. His   
gaze fixed on her petite frame as she greeted everyone with hugs and handshakes.   
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *  
  
~ Where is he?~ she wondered, making sure to paste on the biggest smile she could   
muster while greeting her fellow co-workers. Scanning the room she finally spotted him   
in the corner, alone, watching her. She realized, that this was it, the moment she had to   
face him. It was now or never.  
  
To be continued….  
  
~~~  
Okay, so I know you all may be a little confused…but stick with me. All your questions   
will be answered in the coming chapters. Please review and give your thoughts.   
Feedback is appreciated. 


	2. Sometimes I Think About You

My Thanksgiving

Chapter 2: Sometimes I think about you….

A/N: Thanks to everybody who has been enjoying this story. I hope it lives up to your expectations. Thanks to Ann for the chapter titles, and pushing me to keep writing. Angie and Autumn for beta'ing my work. You guys rock. And Marita for just continually being there for me.  Warning, this part does contain flashbacks

Spoilers: A Little Murder

_~ ~ ~ ~_

_Sometimes I think about you._

_I wonder how you're doing now,_

_And what you're going through._

_~ ~ ~ ~_

She had seen him. Whipping her head around, blonde hair flying, she had picked him out of the crowd. Desperately he tried to stay calm. ~_It's just Catherine. Why am I so nervous?~_

Her face held no shock upon seeing him there. It almost looked as if she was hoping to find him. Grissom, once again, felt as if he was glued to the floor. She stood proudly, staring at him, waiting for him to act; and yet at the same time she seemed almost scared. 

At first Grissom wasn't sure quite what he should do. Should he go greet her? Welcome her back to work? Yes, she deserved that much from him.

~  *   ~   *   ~   *

"Hello Catherine… welcome back."

"Thanks. It certainly beats sitting around all day."  In his presence Catherine could not cease her fidgeting. She clenched her hands together, fiddling with her thumbs as she spoke. "Though I am grateful for the time I was able to spend with Linds."

"I'll bet she took very good care of you."

"She certainly tried too."

The awkwardness between them was evident. Grissom was standing nearly two feet away from her attempting to hold a conversation. 

"You look …..… better."

"Grissom, 'better' is a euphemism for 'you've been sick, you look like hell'."

"I'm….I don't really know what to say." He replied softly his eyes focused on the floor.

"Grissom, what's left to say?" Spinning on her heel she turned abruptly in preparation to rejoin the party, wondering how they had come to the point where they couldn't even hold a simple conversation.

"Catherine. Wait." His hand was on her shoulder. Sliding slowly downwards until he caught her fingers and wrapped them in his. She halted abruptly and registered what had just happened before turning around to face him.

"I'm surprised Gil Grissom. You actually are capable of physical human contact. Because for the last few months I have been wondering." The touch no longer meant a thing, her thoughts consumed with the memories of the last few months, anger dancing in her head. " I don't know if you realize this, but I am not a disease. I may have been sick but that certainly doesn't give you the right to treat me like an outsider." Once again she turned her back on him, not looking back until she was in the hallway, Grissom right on her heels.

" I was only protecting you. This wasn't my idea. You were the one that decided to keep your private life private. I didn't want to jeopardize that."  

"Hell of a way to protect someone. Shutting them out."

"If you had told the rest of them that you were—"

"You can say the words Grissom. Cancer. I have cancer."

~   *   ~   *   ~  *   ~

            He never knew how much the words affected him until he heard them come from her. Only vaguely did he recall the moment she had first told him of her illness. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.  Not because he had simply forgotten, but because he could simply not believe it at the time.

*****

Catherine looked ragged. It was nearing five a.m. and no new cases had come in. She was in the break room, furling her brow and chewing on her pencil as she finished her reports. Catherine hated reports, that fact he knew about her, among others. But tonight she seemed especially irritated by them. As if somehow they were the cause of every problem she had ever faced.

He remembered the altercation she had had just a few weeks prior. The suspect that had attacked her at the crime scene. Grissom had hoped she would have spoke to him about it, at least informed him of what had occurred. Instead he heard it second hand, from Warrick at the end of shift. Not once since that night had she mentioned it to him, shrugging off his advances as if nothing was wrong. Still she seemed distant, almost cold. Could that be what was on her mind?

The pencil snapped in her hand. Dropping it from her limp fingers, he heard a small sigh as she put her head in her hands. 

            "Something on your mind?"  He asked moving into the room. No answer.

            "You look exhausted. Go home. Get some rest."

            "Rest is for the weak-hearted, I learned that one from you and Sara." She replied lifting her head up just enough to make eye contact with him.

            "You would pass out right there if you could…So either tell me what's wrong, or I will take you home, by force if I have too."

            "You wouldn't."

            "Cath, I know there is something, I don't know what, but something, going on with you."

            "It's nothing." She stood up to face him, teetering slightly. Pain was evident, her face contorting slightly as tried desperately to fight it. "It's just a headache Gil."

            She was hiding something, and he knew it. He noticed her inch slightly in the direction of the table, her eyes darting from him to the work she had been doing, and then back to him. Obviously she did want him to see what she was working on.

            "Catherine, what are you doing?"

            "Since when have my actions been any of your business?"

            "Since you made me care about you."

*****

            Catherine's anger reverberated throughout the hallway they stood in, her foot tapping rapidly on the floor. How Grissom wished she would stop that. His nerves, already on edge screamed at him to take action. _~Say something, anything.~ _Reaching up he touched her hair, now shorter, but still a beautiful golden blonde.

            "I sort of like it this way." He admitted, bringing his hand back down to his side.

            "Grissom, don't."

            "Catherine, I'm sorry."

            "It's just to late for that Grissom." And then she was gone, the sweet smell of her perfume the only memory that she had ever been there in the first place.

~ ~ ~ ~

_The last time I saw you,_

_We were playing with fire._

_We were loaded with passion,_

_And a burning desire._

_For every breath,_

_For every day of living,_

_This is my Thanksgiving…._

_~ ~ ~ ~_

To Be Continued….

---_ More unanswered questions? Well at least I solved one of the big ones for you in this chapter. The others will be revealed as the fic progresses. I hope you enjoyed it, and please review!_


	3. Send Me Back to Sunday School

My Thanksgiving

Chapter 3: Send Me Back To Sunday School

A/N: More flashbacks…fun huh? Well I am going to warn all of you in advance, get out your Kleenexes it's going to be a hell of a ride. I am predicting six chapters, so only three more to go. Thanks to Angie for her awesome beta job, and just for her support; Ann, for keeping me going when I just want to stop; and to Marita, you're beta skills are awesome, only surpassed by your loving spirit and kind words, thanks for being there.

~ ~ ~ ~

_Now the trouble with you and me, my friend,_

_Is the trouble with this nation._

_Too many blessings, too little appreciation._

_And I know that kind of notion—It just ain't cool._

_So send me back to Sunday school._

_Because I am tired of waiting for a reason to arrive,_

_It's to long we've been living,_

_These unexamined lives._

~ ~ ~ ~ 

            She was breaking apart on the inside. Slowly but surely her heart was cracking into thousands of little pieces. Strewn about the floor they lay, ready for some aimless person to stomp on. Grissom in particular. 

            She had never expected to be sitting where she was, never expected to be contemplating her and Grissom's fragmented relationship. 

            _~Maybe its just the lack of sleep.~_ she thought to herself, wondering how she had ended up there, listening to the bells as they rung half past six. She could only vaguely recall the last time she had sat in church, those days now seeming so far away.

*******

The little girl stood joyfully at the front of the church, clutching her mother's hand. Organ music drifted through the enormous hall, filling her thoughts. Closing her eyes she let the music take over, relishing in its beauty.

"Catherine Elizabeth! Pay attention!" the girls' mother whispered harshly. Dutifully she obeyed, fixating on the ceremony going on in front of her.

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee…" 

_*******_

            "….blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

            A small solitary tear slipped and fell freely down her cheek. She could not count the number of times she had repeated that prayer to herself over the course of the last few months. Wondering each night what new struggles the next day would bring.

            She wasn't sure if she would be able to face Grissom next shift, or ever again for that matter. Why did things have to be so incredibly hard? Her entire life she had been struggling. With her parents. With Eddie. And now her own body seemed to want to turn against her. 

            Catherine was tired. Tired of fighting, of being strong and independent. Wanting with every breath to give in to all the pain.   

            What would she do if she got sick again? She knew she couldn't hide it forever.  Grissom was right about one thing; eventually she would have to tell everyone. She prayed to God that day was far off, in a very distant future. In no way did she want to burden Brass or Nick , or anyone else for that matter, with her problems. They need not spend their time worrying about her.

 But she had burdened Grissom with them. She had worried him, or at least she thought she had. Now she wasn't quite so sure.

********

            Her leave-of-absence notice lay directly on the table behind her.  She didn't want to give it to him, but she had no choice.

            "Catherine, what are you doing?"

            "Since when have my actions been any of your business?" She hadn't meant for her comment to come out so harshly.  And now she couldn't take it back.

            "Since you made me care about you," he replied, a small waver in his voice from having been somewhat fazed by her question. 

            For a moment there was silence as Catherine registered what he had said. She had no reply; all she could do was gaze at the man who had just bore a piece of his soul to her. It was a moment she had waited an entire friendship for, and yet it seemed to have come at the worst possible time.

            "No… Grissom, don't do this. Please, not now," she pleaded softly, staring directly into his clear, ocean blue eyes. 

            "Don't do what?"

            "This. Us. Trying to make us something that could never be."

            "Catherine, I have no clue what you're talking about."

            _~There is no better time for it~_, she thought to herself, knowing this was quite possibly the worst moment she could have chosen.

            Snatching the paper off of the table, she handed it to him, allowing him time to thoroughly look it over.

            "A leave-of-absence? Catherine…why?"

            "It's…it's not what you think Grissom."

            "Then what exactly is it? Are you not happy here? Is it something someone did? Or Eddie? We've known each other long enough that I thought we could confide in each other about certain things…not everything but—"

            "It has nothing to do with CSI. Or Eddie. It's personal, and I would like it to stay that way, if you don't mind. Could you please just sign it?"

            "Cath, you're being very cryptic."

            "I learned from the best," she noted wryly, letting a small smile appear as she spoke. 

            He knew she was avoiding the question, and that scared her. He wasn't going to let her leave until he received an explanation. And the thought of that scared her even more.

            "You know someone told me once, 'there is scarcity of friendships, but not of friends'."  

His hand made it's way to hers, his fingers caressing it softly. 

            "It's not that I don't want to tell you… I just don't know how too. I guess I was hoping you would just…I don't know…just not question it. Why are you questioning it?" Desperately she wanted to get out of this potentially dangerous situation. But she found herself unable to let her gaze leave his; unable to take back her hand.

            "Because I love—"  

            "Grissom," she caught him off guard, cutting his sentence off before he could complete it.  "I'm sick… Acute Myelogenous Leukemia." Taking in a shaky breath she continued. "I need the time off…I don't know how much exactly…"

He did not answer. The look on his face spoke a thousand times louder than words ever could. Before she could speak again, he had pulled out a pen and fiercely signed his name on the dotted line. 

"Don't tell anyone, please?" Averting her eyes toward the door, she could muster only a small voice.

Still he did not speak.

"I…um….I…Gil, thanks."

Her heels clacked against the hard tile floor as she slid out of the room. Checking back one last time at Grissom before leaving, his still form was in the same spot it had been in moments before. And it would remain there long after she was in her car, revving the engine, speeding away from CSI.

**********

            Up until now, Catherine hadn't spoken to Grissom since that night. She had thought, hoped, even prayed that he would call; but he didn't. No visits to the hospital.  No get well flowers on the doorstep. Not even a damn card in the mail. Nothing.

Didn't he realize he was her life support? Her reason to keep on fighting? 

Yes, she had Lindsey, and yes she worried everyday what it would be like for her child to grow up without her mother; but she still had so many unsaid things left to say to Grissom. So much uncharted territory to feel out. 

"Cat….?"

Only he would call her that. Only he was allowed to call her that. Instinctively she knew it was him.

"Can we please just talk?"

Tears were streaming down her face now. Should she turn around and face him? Could she? _~God he smells so good.~ _she thought as she tried to fight back the tears._ ~ He followed me here, he found me.~ _

Trembling she got up, ran to him, and wrapped herself in his embrace. For once feeling safe from the demons that haunted her.

_~ ~ ~ ~ _

_I've got great expectations_

_I've got family and friends_

_I've got satisfying work_

_I've got a back that bends_

_For every breathe, for every day of living_

_This is my Thanksgiving_

_~ ~ ~ ~_

_To be continued…._

Note: I am personally not Catholic and though it's not a huge part of the story, I did use my creative liscense concerning that issue. I was told that MH in life is catholic so it makes sense for me to write her character that way.


	4. Have You Noticed?

My Thanksgiving

Chapter 4: Have you noticed…

A/N: And then there was a glimmer of hope….

_~ ~ ~ ~_

_Have you noticed that an angry man_

_Can only get so far?_

_Until he reconciles the way he thinks things ought to be_

_With the way things are._

_~ ~ ~ ~_

            She was in his arms, crying uncontrollably. Deep, heart breaking sobs. Dropping to his knees he sat her down on the floor, gently rocking her back and forth, back and forth.

            "I'm sorry Cath. I am so, so sorry."

            She said nothing, and he didn't push the issue further. Eventually the tears slowed, and her cries died down to small whimpers. Her fingers dug into the fabric of his shirt, clinging to it as a person would cling to life raft.

            And then it dawned on him. This was what she had wanted all along. 

            He was so ignorant to what was going on around him. When she had told him it was personal, he made her tell him anyway. She told him not to tell anyone; and he didn't. But he'd also assumed that meant she didn't want him involved. 

So he stayed, and she walked out. And he didn't follow her. Until now.

Returning his thoughts to the present situation, he tightened his hold slightly on her violently trembling form. The anguished cries rang through his mind, now unable to stay scientific, giving in to the emotional, irrational side of his brain. 

Months of no one to turn to. Of lonely nights. Of lonely tears. Pain that had no doubt been shoved deep down inside her, sealed in a box and tucked away for safe keeping.

The organ music lingered in the background, his hands gently rubbing her back as he kept her safe. It seemed like only a few moments had passed when in actuality they had been sitting there for nearly an hour.

"Gil?"

He glanced downward at her to find that she had unburied her face from his shirt. In her stormy, pale blue eyes he perceived a hint of relief. "I shouldn't have accused you like that, it wasn't fair. I'm sorry."

_No one to lean on. Nothing to hold on to, and still she apologized._

"You shouldn't be saying that," he replied running his fingers through her damp hair.

"Yes. I should. It was totally unprofessional."

            _So stubborn. So unwilling to compromise._

            "If anyone should be apologizing Catherine, it's me."

            "Gil Grissom, you already did."

_~ ~ ~ ~_

_Here in this fragmented world, I still believe_

_In learning how to give love, and how to receive it_

_And I would not be among those who abuse this privilege_

_Sometimes you get the best light froma burning bridge._

_~ ~ ~ ~_

_To be continued…_

Thanks to everyone as usual, you know who you are.J. I love you all dearly for putting up with me all of the time. Only a few more chapters…we're nearing the end…. Stay tuned for chapter 5.

_~Allison~_


	5. Winding Roads

My Thanksgiving

Chapter 5: Winding Road

A/N: You guys, it's been a wonderful ride hasn't it? This is the final chapter, and I am sad to see it end. Thank you, everyone, for all of your support. **Ann**- you've been a good friend and constant soundboard for ideas. I would remain an idealess and unmotivated writer if not for your efforts. **Angie-** You rock as both a beta, and as a friend and g/c shipper. I hope this meets you're level concerning grammar seeing as I don't have the time to get this to you… **Marita-** what can I say? You read all my stuff, and you don't even ship for g/c. You will always remain my first, and one of my best CSI net buds. **GraveshiftCSI Group**- I don't think I would still be writing if it weren't for you guys… ideas just seem to pop in my head whenever we chat, or e-mail. Thank you for all the inspiration and the new found friendships.

_~ ~ ~_

_And I don't mind saying that I still love it all_

I wallowed in the springtime 

_Now I welcome in the fall_

_For every moment of joy_

_Every hour of fear_

_For Every winding road that brought me here_

_For every breathe, for every day of living,_

_This is my Thanksgiving. _

_~ ~ ~_

A peaceful silence had settled between the two of them as they rode down the streets of Vegas, the nightlife settling into a peaceful slumber. For the first time all day she didn't notice the trembling in her hands, now finally starting to subside.  Catherine, to tired and shaken up to drive, sat in the passenger seat of Grissom's Tahoe, her head against the glass window fighting to keep her eyes open.

            "Grissom?"

            "Yea?" he replied, keeping his eyes on the road ahead of him.

            "I need to tell them." She breathed in deeply, knowing she needed release herself from her burden.

            "When you're ready, you will." 

She let him brush an errant hair out of her face as they slowed down, stopping at the red light. His touch felt so gentle on her forehead.

"I don't think I ever will be ready."

"I know you Cath, you will be."

"For a man who hasn't seen me in four and a half months you sure have a lot of confidence in me."

"I should have been there."

Wearily she shifted her body in to a position that was facing him. "Yes, but you're here now."

"Now you're willing to forgive?" For a fleeting moment he thought he saw the sparkle returning in her eyes.

"I don't think you'd understand…"

"You're right, I don't. Not that I think that's a bad thing, your complexity is what makes you, you. But I do think I deserve a chance, enlighten me Catherine Willows, what's in that head of yours?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yes you…. and well, everything."

Inwardly she reminded herself that she needed to take a breath. Settling down for a moment, before continuing she thought about what she was going to say to him. One misstep and they would be back where they started.

 It hadn't been easy to stay in control lately; every moment of her life sent her spinning, careening into depths of darkness she never knew about.  But Grissom's arms had stopped that. The very moment he had thrown his arms around her she felt as if the tension was going away, as if her problems seemed non-existent. How was she supposed to stay mad a man like that? "I forgive you. Do you know why?"

"Honestly Catherine, no I don't. If I were in your position right now, I don't think I could forgive me," he admitted as they pulled into her driveway.

"Life is fleeting Gil. I know that now. You made me realize that, this whole experience made me realize that. All it took was one embrace, and I knew there was no way I would ever be able to stay angry with you. Gil Grissom, we've been blind for much to long."

"Yea."

"I love you, Gil Grissom. And I want to experience that love while I still can."

"Don't talk like that."

"So you're allowed to say it but I'm not, is that it?" Once again anger rose in her, for only a moment, as she registered what he was saying. 

"No, no, no. That's not what I meant." Using his shirt, he cleaned off his glasses and placed them on the bridge of his nose. "Catherine, don't talk to me like you're on borrowed time. I…I love you too, and we'll have plenty of time to explore that love…" His hands clutched hers, and he spoke with seriousness only he could ever convey.

"I can't…I can't keep on fighting…not like this. It's just too hard. I can't be strong like this any longer. I've spent my entire life struggling, for myself, for Eddie, for a decent job, for Lindsey. It doesn't ever seem to end Gil."

"You don't need to fight."

"What?"

"Catherine… don't fight. Let me fight for you. Let me struggle…. You said yourself life is fleeting. If it's all right with you, I want to spend mine supporting you."

"Gil….I…I can't—" 

Suddenly his lips met hers. Caught off guard slightly, she jumped in her seat before shutting her eyes and enveloping herself in the sweet taste of his mouth. Wrapping his arms around her, she found that his hands were once again entwined in her hair, stroking it as his tongue explored her mouth. Every moment seemed surreal, unrealistic, and she found herself letting the tears flow once again. Salty, wet, tears of joy. 

Cupping his hands around her face, he held his lips to hers for just a moment before letting them break apart. Using his thumb, he gently wiped a stray tear from her face.

"Shh…I want to. Please." 

His breath was hot and sweet on her face. This. This moment, felt so unbelievably right to her. "Thank you," she whispered, relaxing into his arms. "Thank you so much."

"Your welcome," and he kissed her softly on the forehead. "Cath…do you know what day it is?"

"Wednesday…Oh geez!" she shot up and out of his arms. How could she have possibly forgotten? "Tomorrow…oh lord. Thanksgiving. I nearly forgot."

"You have the night off. Don't worry."

"Do you?"

"Do I what?" he asked, bewildered.

"Have the night off. Do you have the night off? I know you don't usually have any plans; Lindsey would really like to see you… She missed you, almost as much as I have. I mean, if you don't already have plans, we'd love to have you over. I'd love to have you over."

"One condition."

_~He's giving me ultimatums~,_ she thought.

"What condition would that be?"

"That you make some of that famous Catherine Willow Monterey ranch bread. That's my condition…I'll only go for the bread."

Her eyes sparkling; smile playing across her face; she let out a faint laugh.  Studying Grissom's face, he too seemed to have let go of a burden. Somehow, the lines of stress that marred his face faded. A lopsided grin, one that she hadn't seen in months, answered the smile that she had flashed him previously.

"I do make a mean bread…come over whenever you like. And be prepared, Lindsey really has missed you."

"Ok, it's a deal…Cath, seriously, are you sure your alright?"

"No…but it's a start," she sighed, pushing the door open. 

"Life. Everyone wandering down their own winding road, searching for themselves." Ambiguously he answered walking around the car and leading her to the doorway. "Always searching."

"Except now I'm not searching alone… Or maybe, just maybe, I've found myself, in you. "

_~ Just maybe~, _she thought, lingering at the door while Grissom departed back down the driveway. Only entering the house after she saw the Tahoe roar to life, and speed off in the darkness.

_~ ~ ~_

_For everyone who helped me start_

_And for everything that broke my heart_

_For every breath, for every day of living,_

_This is my Thanksgiving_

_~ ~ ~_

*The End* 

Be on the lookout for a sequel… I have a few ideas rolling around in my head for a short Christmas story…Nothing  definite, but I thought that I would let you know anyway.

_~Allison~_


End file.
